Bullpen Report: August 12, 2020

The 2020 version of Bullpen Report includes six different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
2. Injury News 
3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.
6. Reliever On The Rise: Non-closer who is quickly moving up the depth chart based on potential and recent performance.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save.)

Notable Workloads

•Cole Sulser, BAL: 28 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

In addition to the high pitch count, Sulser blew his second save of the season on Tuesday. It might be a good time to give Mychal Givens (13 pitches on Tuesday) his first save chance of the season on Wednesday.

•Ryan Pressly, HOU: Back-to-back days; 26 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Blake Taylor (10 pitches on Tuesday) and Andre Scrubb (23 pitches on Tuesday) are candidates for a save chance on Wednesday.

•Taylor Rogers, MIN: Back-to-back days; 23 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Rogers is usually good for three straight days, but Sergio Romo is more likely for a save chance on Wednesday.

•Hector Neris, PHI: 28 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Neris hadn’t pitched in four days before throwing 28 pitches on Tuesday, so he still might be available on Wednesday. If not, it’s possible that Adam Morgan or Blake Parker get a save chance.

•Anthony Bass, TOR: 31 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Bass hadn’t thrown more than 17 pitches in any of his previous six appearances in 2020. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s available after a 31-pitch day, but Jordan Romano (9 pitches on Tuesday), Rafael Dolis (8 pitches on Tuesday), and Ryan Borucki (last pitched on Sunday) are options for a save chance if he’s not.

 

Injury News

•Aroldis Chapman, NYY | RosterResource

Chapman is getting closer to making his 2020 debut, although the first place Yankees aren’t likely to rush their 32-year-old closer. There should be an update coming from the team now he’s thrown his first simulated game.

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman throws 25 pitches in sim game at Alternate Site at PNC Field. Faced eight batters. Struck out two and walked one. Didn’t appear to give up any hits (I say that because, from up here, you can’t see where the balls land). pic.twitter.com/vRw3w0W3GK

— Conor Foley (@RailRidersTT) August 11, 2020

 

Outlier Saves

•Travis Lakins Sr., BAL | RosterResource

With two men on base, two out, and a one-run lead in the top of the tenth, Lakins was brought in to face Rhys Hoskins. The 26-year-old, making his 24th career big league appearance, picked up his first save when Hoskins grounded out to end the game. He was the eighth pitcher used by the Orioles, who blew a 5-3 lead in the eighth and an 8-6 lead in the ninth before finally hanging on for a 10-9 win in extra innings.

•Daniel Bard, COL | RosterResource

After taking an 8-2 lead with six runs in the bottom of the eighth, the Rockies turned to rookie left-hander Phillip Diehl in the ninth. After retiring the leadoff man, he allowed a run on three consecutive hits before manager Bud Black went to closer Jairo Diaz to bail him out. But Diaz also needed bailing out after allowing the Diamondbacks to close the gap to 8-7. With two outs, Bard was brought in to face Stephen Vogt, who struck out looking to end the game. It was the 35-year-old Bard’s sixth career save, coming more than nine years since his fifth career save.

•Tyler Rogers, SFG | RosterResource

Closer Trevor Gott pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to preserve a 6-6 tie and send the game to extra innings. When the Giants took a 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth, it was Rogers who came in to close out the win over the Astros for his first career save.

 

Committee Clarity

•Cole Sulser, Miguel Castro, and Mychal Givens, BAL | RosterResource

Suler and Castro each blew leads on Tuesday, while Givens pitched a scoreless seventh for his second hold. The 30-year-old Givens, who had 11 saves in 2019, has pitched five scoreless innings and struck out eight batters. There has been no indication that he’s part of the closer’s mix, other than he is the lone Orioles’ reliever with a track record.

•Edwin Diaz, NYM | RosterResource

Another non-save outing for Diaz on Tuesday resulted in another scoreless inning, his fifth in a row. While the Mets have trailed in all but one of those games, none have been out of reach. On Tuesday, he pitched the top of the ninth (2 K, H) against the Nationals with his team losing 2-1. There is little doubt that he’s returned to the top of the depth chart, along with Seth Lugo.

 

Losing A Grip

•Ryan Pressly, HOU | RosterResource

Pitching back-to-back scoreless outings (8/7 and 8/10) was an encouraging sign for Pressly, who struggled in his first two appearances after elbow discomfort kept him out of action to begin the season. But his first attempt at pitching back-to-back days did not go well as he blew a 6-5 lead (IP, ER, 2 H, BB) over the Giants on Tuesday.

If the 31-year-old Pressly is healthy, the Astros aren’t likely to make a change yet because there are not enough reliable alternatives. Fernando Rodney, who just began facing live hitters at the team’s alternate site, could give them an experienced option in the near future. Shaking things up in the immediate future, however, could mean moving Pressly back to a setup role and using some sort of committee to close out games. Scrubb and Taylor would almost certainly be in that mix.

 

Reliever On The Rise

•Devin Williams, MIL | RosterResource

With Corey Knebel still nowhere near his pre-Tommy John surgery form and the talented duo of Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta both currently being used in a piggyback role, the Brewers are short on options to bridge the gap to closer Josh Hader. But 25-year-old rookie Devin Williams has shown signs of being able to fill that void.

Pitching out of the bullpen for the first time in 2019, Williams began the season in Double-A and quickly made his way to the majors by early August. Now, he’s getting an opportunity to prove that he’s in the big leagues to stay. Through his first six appearances of 2020, he’s allowed one earned run in 6.1 innings with four walks and twelve strikeouts.

While most of the standout relievers who are recognized in this section get by with a fastball and breaking ball combination, Williams relies on an upper-nineties fastball that he complements with a mid-eighties changeup. That changeup has been getting some rave reviews on Twitter …

Devin Williams, sir, this isn't entirely fair.

Two wicked changeups and then dotting 98. pic.twitter.com/whi1lLgOMY

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 12, 2020

Devin Williams may have one of my new favorite changeups from around the league 🔥⚾️#Brewers pic.twitter.com/dOIzsk18PO

— Cory ⚾️tt (@cory5ott) July 19, 2020

Devin Williams with some fantastic changeups tonight pic.twitter.com/Nkn35MOI2L

— Jack Stern (@baseball7310) July 28, 2020